Why Have Standard Forms for Performance Evaluation?
- Employees complain about not understanding what type of performance is expected and what that performance is measured against. Performance evaluations need to include clearly identifiable performance measures in order to ensure that both the employee and the manager interpret the measure the same way. Designers of standard performance evaluation forms recognize these complaints and work to include clarity in the standard performance evaluation form. The designer includes a description of the performance measure, along with specific examples of the quality of work performed at each level.
- Another complaint from employees of performance evaluations consists of receiving inconsistent feedback from the manager. Mixed messages at different performance evaluations confuse the employee and make meeting the company's performance expectations difficult. Standard performance evaluation forms ensure that the manager looks at the same aspects of the employee's performance at each performance review. After the performance evaluation, the employee holds a clear understanding of what quality of work is expected and how to achieve it.
- Many managers evaluate their employee's performance at annual performance appraisals without any training on how to conduct a performance evaluation. Standard performance evaluation forms provide managers with a list of employee performance qualities to consider during the performance appraisal process. Standard forms include specific information regarding what qualities to look for at each level of performance.
- Sometimes companies need to take disciplinary action against an employee for performance issues. These situations require that the manager follow the company's procedure for evaluating and documenting employee performance issues. Performance issues and qualities that require employee improvement can be identified on the standard performance evaluation form. The manager completes this form before meeting with the employee. After the meeting, both the manager and the employee see the issues identified on the form. If the employee does not resolve the issues, the company can take further disciplinary action against the employee using the standard performance evaluation form to back up its decision.